As election day approaches, our society is becoming more aware that the radical wing and its related monitoring organizations, media outlets, and other groups are primarily concerned with creating false perceptions among the public and international partners. They do this by engaging in all types of manipulation.
According to Givi Miknadze in the period between September 16 and October 6, pre-election violation were revealed in activities of opposition parties, a number media and observation organizations, which refers to foreign interference in elections, undeclared agitation for election, negative campaigning, interference in election campaigning and discrediting of the election process and administration.
Michael Roth, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in the German Bundestag, published on October 1 information about how Georgian citizens who live abroad can register to vote at the elections. He published the contact details of two people who, according him, would help Georgian citizens with the registration process. This is clear foreign interference in the pre-election process.
From October 1, the US Embassy posted “cards” to its Facebook page. The content was political depending on the context, and reflected the opposite position of the government.
The ambassador of the European Union to Georgia, Pawel Hisczynski, stated publicly on October 4 that the information displayed in the “Georgian Dream‘ election campaign billboards is “shameful” and “shocking and disgusting”.
The direction of the undeclared campaign for elections –
According to the decision of Anti-Corruption Bureau on September 24, the organization “Transparency International Georgia”, Eka Gigauri its executive director, and the organization “Choose Europe”, Khatuna lagazidze, its director and co-founders were declared entities with electoral purposes and the “On Political Union of Citizens of Georgia” was distributed to them. Chapter 3 of the Law contains limitations. The Anti-Corruption Bureau took this decision legally, based upon the existence of numerous evidences and the goal to not damage the pre-election atmosphere. However, on the recommendation by the Prime Minister, the organizations and people mentioned by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, were removed from their status as subjects with electoral purposes, and given the chance to observe the election.
The following facts were highlighted in relation to the negative campaign
On September 26, a fake banner of the “Georgian Dream“, with the motto “Choose Peace”, was circulated on Facebook.
A fake video montage has also been spread on social media, which allegedly shows an alleged fake motto on the “Georgian Dream ” banner in Kutaisi. It reads: “Only destroyed in Europe by Gelati.
On October 3, a video was circulated via Facebook, in which the slogan of the party appears on the “Georgian Dream”, a banner located in Gori. It is also stated that “Only by apologies and kneeling to Russia can concessions be made”.
Several facts related to the interference in the election campaign have been recorded.
According to the information that was spread on 18 September, the National Communications Commission monitored the media and found that “BMG”, a public broadcaster, had posted free political ads of political topics on the air, in violation of law. According to the “Election Code of Georgia”, free political advertisements must be broadcast by a public or community broadcaster. It is prohibited to allocate time to free political advertising for electoral subjects because “BMG” doesn’t represent any of these. The Communications Commission subsequently recognized the broadcaster’s violation and issued a protocol of administrative violations.
On October 5, TV companies “Mtavari”, “TV-Pirveli” and “Formula” issued a statement in which they refused the airing of the political advertisement for “Georgian Dream”, which is illegal. The leaders of “Transparency International Georgia”, “European Orbit”, and the “Media Advocacy Coalition“, along with the leaders of other non-governmental organizations, have publicly endorsed this decision of the TV stations. This decision was made by the television stations based on the statement of the EU Ambassador in Georgia.
Several facts about the attempt to discredit both the election process and election administration have been revealed.
During the reporting period the representatives of the monitor organization “European Orbit”, and the monitoring mission, “My Voice”, deliberately conducted a propaganda campaign and spread false information with a manipulative character regarding Georgian citizens who had their voting rights registered abroad.
On September 27, the Georgian President made a statement that he was refusing to open additional voting stations for tens of thousand of Georgians living abroad in cities of Europe and America. In response to the statement, the CEC explained the election administration had explained to representatives of the president’s office and to the President personally the regulations that are envisaged by the law regarding the opening of precincts overseas. The CEC explained that presenting legal decisions as discriminatory was an attempt to discredit and intentionally damage the election process.
As the election day approaches, our society becomes more aware that the radical wing and its associated media outlets and watchdogs are primarily concerned with creating false perceptions among the public and their international partners. They will use any form of manipulation to achieve this. The interim report released today confirms this. Similarly, impartial monitoring organizations have published statements and reports that ignore pre-election violations committed against the ruling party. All of this confirms that a targeted campaign is being used to prepare the mood of the public as well as international observers for a misjudgement in the elections. In response, the ruling party continues its peaceful pre-election campaigns and is in constant contact with international monitoring organisations.
We would like to inform everyone that a detailed, extensive report on pre-election violations found between September 16 and October 6 will be posted on the “Georgian Dream’ Facebook page. This report will also be sent in both Georgian and English to diplomats, international observers, and anyone else interested in fair and free elections.
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